x
“You do,” I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkjwlFX8lI
“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TAUN4QV3T
then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxZyKGFzbv
black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9X3xTxlKT2
would deem as ´normal´. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvi86aCOSPA
“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2f7UYef7LQ
resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGvJaRkRFe
and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNTc0GF8uV
him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKcAbQNkZm
“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAINcMXEvOd
to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlSvTYfyyg
He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHAH2emka7
accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynsD5wRodu
leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaJcNodeb2
there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKLvr5VBTw
if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2SLU26UHg
of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlGbQ4tVmK
hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwEKePIVKY
He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3FBdXYnol
me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJy5ySOkQE
parts... Or even -”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1VQAdDE3E
“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ53gTSzWtv
notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyk8lcmnviC
to read it.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0c03yO8nSz
A short silence stood between the two of us ...425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmeGuFixGb
“Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1ddxVcFvl
to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHsYxSlxEC
many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOt4uwZDLnw
in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5scqTUxG0
with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well!425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONmCLKqmaG
And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZJXp6BhP0
“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpsAPs5zrb
A long pause took over his person.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEa415lhMVj
Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajQVoxoqsx
moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jpj2JBbZi
There were so many ´If ’s´ and ´Buts´ and ´What’s´ swirling in his mind - and in425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK03WHaku3Y
the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsOQkcghIc
unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTjBwUQGr6
between this little one and that ol’ fool... What choice do I have?”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cV3VQAlNL
“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjCIZBFLyG
you get your hands on all this?”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZnsfvzzJx
“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFDIKIZ8pM
“You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this?425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluvo2qty2c
What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4haSG5yG6
restlessness.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaTzcXaj4r
“And then you will read it?”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJQ84v50ee
“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSRoBcnEbx
He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynG3pWXZ7O
arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOt3soLfTn
have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDagiwUb4yF
“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxTk862rcW
“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMQZAB8r6h
“I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5RkwZOLP6
carrying tomes for me regularly.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFNvgXLJHq
I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJs6MGOxEi2
we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkHEDeHytf
could be in store inside that notebook.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAvf4WMxQX
